In-Between Things

by Priscilla Tey

Dive in between the covers of a whimsical, wonderful debut and discover that everything in the world is relative -- including you.

Look over there -- the cat is between a table and a chair with a tear. But now look again: the cat is on top of the dog, who's between the floor and the cat (and not too happy about that!). As you wander through the delightfully detailed illustrations, the more you look, the more you'll see -- including colors made from a mix of two others, hybrid implements such as a spork, warm nooks that are neither too cold nor too hot, even a cross of a zebra and cow that makes a . . . zebrow? In an engaging and utterly stylish debut, rising star Priscilla Tey leads readers on an addictive exploration of the in-between, a surprisingly far-reaching and everywhere concept.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published May 22, 2018

About the author

Priscilla Tey is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. A native of Singapore, she returned home after completing her degree and splits her time between illustrating and teaching. She loves “being the architect of wonderful worlds for characters to wander in” and observes that “the world is full of strange adventures and stories waiting to be excavated.” In-Between Things is Priscilla Tey’s first book for children.

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This children's book is super cute and fun to read. The illustrations are bright and colorful and funny and busy. You can stay on the same page for a while longer after reading, just to take in all the pictures, so you don't miss anything that is going on. It's a rhyming book, so very fun to read aloud. The book also explains in detail what "in-between" means and illustrates this in so many different ways, that by the end, the reader and listener are sure to understand it's meaning to the fullest. It would be a great read-aloud to a preschool or lower elementary class, or a great book to read with just one child, and take extra time to savor all the pictures!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting introduction to what "in-between" means told in rhyme. Dogs and cats are in-between this and that all through the pages and sometimes things combine to make in-between rhymes. This is a thorough and fun to what it means to not be quite here or there. Get it?

The illustrations are wonderful and colorful and worth a long intense look to find all of the in-betweens that are mentioned on every page and the ones that are not. The rhyming is achieved well and is really fun. A humorous little book, perfect for early English teachers!

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brown dog and a black cat lead the reader in discovering the many ways to see what's in between, all around us. Mixed media illustrations in luminous colors delight in their whimsy and movement. Relaxed rhyming text complements the art by guiding the reader to find the things that are between other things. The adorable dog and cat take the lead - are they friends? Sometimes it's hard to tell - maybe their relationship is in between.

[Marc Chong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly whimsical and beautifully illustrated book!

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this and could not even force myself to read the whole book. Maybe it was the art? It's very clever, but it was too long and too distracting and there is a LOT going on.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concept book about all the things that come between other things like the floor is between you and the world below. Concept is tough to understand so preschool and up

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful book with a captivating story and beautiful illustrations. Strongly recommend.

[Maria Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am in awe of the complexity and wackiness that Priscilla Tey wrapped into this delightful book and her ability to do it with a rhyming text. This book masterfully tackles the concepts/notions of middle, boundaries or separations, combinations, and transitions with a lively text and bold colorful images that radiate with humor and personality. Each page is full of things that are "between" one another or one state and another. After showing that "in-between" can be a middle or a barrier, the book ingeniously tackles the notion of combinations in colors and words. This book challenges the reader to look for all "the weird and wacky" they'll find in the world and in-between the covers of this book. Overall a delightful read.

[Lexi Vollebregt]

This book is describing what the word in-between and between means. The author used a dog and a cat exploring things inside and around the house to show real-life examples of what this could be.

I think this book does a really good job of explaining what the word in-between is and making it interesting. The viewers are wanting to find things on their own that are in-between. The author also makes everything rhyme which ties it all together.

I can use this book to explain what the word in-between and between are and use it as an activity. like having the kids point out things in the classroom that are in-between other things. It will get them thinking.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this book actually hurt my head. The concept is cute but it is WAY too busy. Lots of text, busy busy illustrations. It's too crazy for me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could be a great writing or art prompt in this book...

[Lauren Shell]

In-Between Things is a fun way of telling all about the things that can or are in between. A dog and a cat take you through the book and show you all the in between things in and around their house. It teaches all about the in between in a fun and different way. Also it tells you why there are things put in between something.

This book was very enjoyable to read. It had some fun illustrations with lots of colors, shapes, and patterns. I also liked how it had good flow and rhyming words. I though this was a fun and different kind of book.

This book could be used in the classroom if say you were doing a lesson over prepositions in grammar. It could also be used in a lesson over rhyming because the author uses lots of rhyming words throughout the book. It also can show you haw many in between things there are and why they are there.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"An in-between thing is a thing in the middle" Tey explains on the first page and then she is off on an unusual, quirky and highly entertaining look at the many ways things can be in the middle, led by a cat and dog.

The book is a bit of a hodge-podge but a wonderful and wacky one. I love the illustrations, done the information says in mixed media. Warm colors and and appealingly stylistic, they reward spending time on each page with wonderful details. Wonderful as a discussion starter.

This is Tey's first book for children and I will be eagerly watching what she does next.

[Ettak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little gem of a non-fiction children's book!

The text is in rhyme and the lessons about paying particular attention to "in-between things" (doors, the color green, etc.) is a good lesson to try and instill.

Children will have fun exploring/finding/discussing all the things mentioned and illustrated.
The illustrations were awesome, especially the personalities of the dog and cat!

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between left and right. Between up and down. Between this thing and that are many interesting things. Between the water and the cat is the fishbowl which keeps the fish safe. Between the carpet and the floor are dust balls... yuck! What's between blue and green? What's between a spoon and a fork? Clever and fun to read!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute pictures that tell miniature stories. A little bit satisfying to be reminding that things can be between in r'ship to location, time, color, even concept. It just never occurred to me that the idea of "between-ness" warranted a whole book. Unless it's a companion book to ones that focus on such concepts as up/down, here/there, in/out....

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the illustrations in this book! The detail is amazing! The book is wonderful for the readers who need help distinguishing geographic location. This is definitely a book for 4 and up, due to the concept. Great book for the public library!

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

L checked this out from the library based on the cover but then was a little disappointed that it wasn't just the story of a dog and a cat. I think it was a little much for her; she only asked to read it once. The other kids listened to it once too but S also didn't request it again.

[Hwee Goh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautiful, and probably very fun as a read-aloud book, sending us on a journey to look for all the in-between things in between things in our lives.

Priscilla Tey’s art, as usual, makes this a masterpiece.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need to explain the concept of in between with amazing picture support for young children or children with limited access to word choice, this book is for you.

I will show it to my speech and language pathologist and my kindergarten teachers, for sure!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 5 y.o. and I agreed that this would have been better with a narrative worked in. As is, it starts out cute and interesting, but then just keeps going without much holding it together. Ages 4-6.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fun, colorful book will get kids' imaginations going and their eyes looking out for "in-between things."

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, but educational as well. Focuses on the idea of "in between." Very neat book.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't a fan.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really cute, I loved the word play. A bit long for storytimes, but with pages clipped it would definitely work. The pictures are busy, but so fun!

[Angela De Groot · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting exploration of things in the middle.

[Susan Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clever!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and innovative concept book that illustrates what it means to be "in-between".

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Illustrations between fuzzy and muzzy, story between fuddled and muddled. A second star for chutzpah.

“Between
‘oink’ and ‘meow,’
you might hear
Moink-Kee-Ow. . .”

Uh huh.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great rhyming book to help understand the concept of in-between.